Another Great Year: 2005-2006 UAE ACCESS MicroScholarship

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 002955 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; ECA/A/L FERNANDEZM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR KDEM TC SUBJECT: Another Great Year: 2005-2006 UAE ACCESS MicroScholarship Program ¶1. Summary: The UAE ACCESS MicroScholarship Program provided 300 non-urban, non-elite Emirati high school students with conversational American English skills and exposure to American culture. From September 2005 to April 2006, extra-curricular activities and field trips gave added value to the classroom experience. In addition to improving their language skills, the interactive learning and opportunities to interact with Americans and embassy LES gave students the opportunity to learn about and voice their opinions on U.S. culture. End Summary ¶2. The ACCESS MicroScholarship program for school year 2005-6 operated in cooperation with ELS Language Centers. Students were selected from ten secondary schools across the UAE: four in Abu Dhabi, two in Ajman, two in Sharjah and two in Ras Al Khaimah. A total of eleven classes were formed, five for males and six for females. 300 students were initially enrolled in the program, with 252 successfully completing it. Coursework and enrichment -------------- ¶3. Coursework emphasized practical American English communication skills meant to complement the grammar-focused curriculum employed in public high schools. Classes were held for two hours a day, four days a week over the course of six months, providing a total of 192 hours of English instruction time. Through the course, students were given opportunities to use English in practical speaking environments based around themed modules such as symbols and holidays, famous Americans and geography. All the teachers of the program were native English speakers trained as ESL/EFL professionals. ¶4. In addition to academic activities, students were provided with a number of unique extracurricular opportunities. Field trips were arranged to locations ranging from the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, U.S. Consulate in Dubai, U.S. college fairs, and to performances in Duabi and Abu Dhabi by the ECA-organized New Orleans Mardi Gras Indian musicians. In addition, a number of special guest speakers were brought in to interact with students, from the Ambassador to junior officers and family members. On their field trips to the Embassy, students asked American Foreign Service Officers as well as locally employed staff (LES) about their religion, their loyalty to the US government, and their freedom to practice their faiths. These issues were of deep concern to the young Emirati students from remote areas with minimum exposure to western or American culture. UAE 24/7 Book -------------- ¶5. Ten classes participated in a class project that produced a booklet titled "UAE 24/7". Each class selected a topic related to culture, history, famous people, and customs of the United Arab Emirates and produced a chapter. After experiencing an afternoon of American football, one group of students showed that recreation can bridge cultural divides. They produced a five-page essay, in English, on the variety of racing sports in the UAE-cars, boats, horses, and, of course, camels. Materials submitted by each class were bound in A4 booklet format. During the graduation ceremony, each student was presented with a copy along with the photo journalism booklet "America 24/7" which was a gift from the Embassy. A competition was held for the best cover design and the winner was awarded a scholarship to attend a 4-week, intensive English program at ELS in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. Three summer scholarship awards were given to students from each class. A certificate of completion was awarded at the end of the course at the graduation ceremony. English language skills gained -------------- ¶6. ELS Language Centers evaluated the participating students at both the beginning and end of the program, and ranked them according to their English ability along a scale from 100 (lowest skill rating) to 109 (highest skill rating). Initially 73.5% of the 252 students who successfully completed the program were placed in beginner and elementary level (100-103) classes, while 21.5% were placed in intermediate (104-106) classes and 5% in advanced (107-109) classes. By the end of the program, only 23% of the participating students remained in elementary classes, while 61% were in intermediate classes and 16% were in advanced classes. Only 9% of the students were not able to advance a level, while 66% advanced one or two levels and a full 25% advanced more than two levels. Charts visualizing this progress are available on the intranet at http://abudhabi.state.gov/PAO_Page.htm. Comments from Students -------------- ¶7. Shaika Al Badi, from the Al Zait Secondary School for Girls in Ras Al-Khaimah, expressed her desire to study writing and civil engineering. The class gave her the opportunity to learn about American government, but also the element of choice that permeates many aspects of American life: "I didn't know that American students can choose their own courses, just like they choose candidates in an election." The American Revolution and the Boston Tea Party especially impressed her: it was an early example of a fledgling state reacting against a colonial power. ¶8. Khalid from Bani Yas said, "I'd like to learn more about the different cultures in the U.S. and their day-to-day life." But readings in American history pointed out a surprising parallel between the first statesmen of the U.S. and the UAE. Khalid would also like to learn more about American history, particularly George Washington: "He must have been a lot like Sheikh Zayed [the founder of the UAE and its ruler for over 30 years]. He must have known what had to be done to pull a country together." Summer in the US -------------- ¶9. The top two students from the English Access Microscholarship Program in the UAE will join the English Access Microscholarship Program Workshop for a three-week educational tour of the United States, organized by the Intrax International Institute. To deepen their understanding of American culture and continue to practice their English, the students will stay with American host families in Washington, D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco, cities that were specially chosen to expose the students to the geographic and cultural diversity of the U.S. Their mornings will be largely devoted to English classes, while afternoons and evenings offer organized city tours to places of historic and cultural interest. School Year 2006-7 -------------- ¶10. For Academic year 2006-2007, ELS Language Center in Dubai will be the provider for the Access Microscholarship in the UAE. The program will award 300 scholarships to students from remote cities and rural areas who will participate for the first time. Post will target eleven graders (boys and girls) in Um Al-Qwain, Fujairah and the Western Desert Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Each student will receive 200 hours of instruction per year, commencing after Ramadan and ending in May 2007. ¶11. Post welcomes the opportunity to participate in the ACCESS program and values the chance to engage with young Emirati students from areas with limited exposure to the US beyond nightly news and Hollywood. SISON